[Muncle]

In the brown shoe days, I always believed that the mass was composed of three part: the Offertory, Consecration, and Communion. The offertory began following the Nicene Creed. Everything to that point was prologue. It was more confusing as to when Communion ended. Some people seem to believe that this part, and the mass, ended when the priest received the host and began distribution to the people. Others thought it was not complete until the priest turned to the congregation and said "Go, the Mass is ended." ("Ite, Missa Est" for the old folks.) I always kinda thought Communion ended when the priest finished the clean-up and often closed the Tabernacle, that it was over right before he said the "Missa est" bit.